


Buster

by Tracey450



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, Crimes & Criminals, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-07-14 10:44:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7167923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tracey450/pseuds/Tracey450
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five-0 head to the North Shore to bring down a crime boss and his gang of armed mercenaries, but Steve's over eagerness to get the job done ends in disaster for one of the team.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any of the characters.

Navigating the house in it's current state of disrepair was precarious in itself without the added danger posed by the gang of armed mercenaries Five-0 was about to engage. The local fire department had warned them against entering the building at such a late hour. Structural damage had already caused the partial collapse of the western end of the building. Danny had also been very vocal in his calls to delay until morning, but Steve had insisted they couldn't wait. Danny was convinced it was his partner's desire to undertake a SEAL-like mission that swayed his decision to go ahead. Such ops he was sure the Navy man missed.

Danny now found himself stalking a downstairs hallway with his over-exuberant partner. Chin, Kono, and Lou had taken to the upper floor of the two story, monster of a house. It's imposing front entrance opened up to miles of hallways and numerous rooms. Now a decaying shell of its former self, the monstrosity could easily be nudged toward ruin by even the slightest breeze let alone a possible fire fight.

HPD and SWAT monitored the house from the perimeter of the sizeable estate. Using infrared cameras to pinpoint their targets' location. The gang of men were split between the upper and lower floors at the eastern end of the structure. Seven men in total, six armed guards and one head honcho. Emanuel Ford headed a lucrative crime business, involving the selling of young girls to a number of nefarious villains. Five-0's ongoing investigation had forced the man to go to ground. Then a sloppy act of violence had uncovered his whereabouts.

A condemned convalescent home towered ominously over the crumbling house. An hour earlier two dozen girls, all in their late teens to mid twenties, had been rescued from inside it's decaying walls.

Five-0 entered through the main entrance door. The sun was going down and with no electricity to light the interior, visibility was poor. The mercenaries were thought to have been using a generator, but the power was soon killed once the stand off began.

Danny could hear the boards under his feet creek and groan. A warm breeze blew through the broken windows, and the trees could be heard rustling outside. He felt like he was in the middle of a creepy horror movie, certain that at any moment a zombie's hand would reach out and grab him, yanking him back into a room and eating him alive. He took a deep breath and shook himself to stop his mind from wandering.

"You do realize this place is falling down around us as I speak." Danny tried hard to keep his voice low.

"We'll be fine. Stop worrying." Steve paused at the entrance to a room, taking a quick look before moving forward.

"Fine he says. Local fire service warned us not to enter.  _ Imminent collapse.  _ They were the chief's exact words." When Steve didn't give a response he continued. " _ Due for demolition in two weeks. _ Something else the chief said."

Danny came to an abrupt stop when a piece of ceiling board dropped to the floor mere centimeters in front of him.

"Crap, that nearly hit me Steven."

Steve looked over his shoulder with a pinched expression, before continuing further into the building. "Next time I'm with Lou."

"He's welcome to you." Danny rolled his eyes. "If it was so safe, we wouldn't be in here alone. We would have that other thing you are so adverse to -  _ back up. _ "

"Like I told you before, you  _ are _ the back up." Steve held up his hand bringing their conversation and progress to a halt. He signalled Danny to go left before moving right himself.

Danny walked into a large room. The only window was overgrown with foliage, which blocked the light except for fleeting pools of dancing shadows. It was impossible to see anything clearly. He pulled out his flashlight. Turning it on, he shone the beam around the area. From the broken table and scattered chairs, he guessed it was once a dining room. He could just make out a doorway in the far wall and tentatively moved toward it. He had almost reached the opening, when he heard movement behind him. He swung around, his heart pounding hard and fast in his chest. He scanned the area, weapon aimed, ready for someone to strike. When he saw the reason for the noise, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack." Danny lowered his gun. "You shouldn't be in here."

Before Danny could take another step, a large timber beam came crashing down from above his position. A glancing blow to the side of his temple sent him careening to the ground. He clambered onto his knees, placing both hands on the floor in front of him, trying to steady himself. Momentarily winded, he swallowed hard when bile rose in his throat. He registered the gun still held in his hand. In his peripheral vision he could see part of a wall off to his side falling. Billowing clouds of dust enveloped him, making him cough. It all happened too fast. He was stuck in place, dazed by the crack on the head. Everything went in and out of focus like a funhouse that was collapsing on top of him.

The once silent house came to life like someone hit the volume switch. Gunfire, voices, the sharp crack of a pistol, the thud of falling bodies and someone calling his name all blended together in a riot of noise. He struggled to distinguish one sound from another. A sudden feeling of weightlessness pulled him from his stupor. Limbs flailing, he grabbed for anything to stop his downward spiral.

Danny, along with debris from the ceiling above and the floor he stood on moments before, crashed down onto the basement's concrete slab. He felt bone shattering on impact, a searing pain ran along his legs, and through his body. Engulfed by a wave of nausea, the acrid taste of vomit filled his mouth. He choked uncontrollably in a desperate fight to breathe, to stay alive. The burning sensation at the back of his throat screamed at his sluggish brain to change position. Pulling himself onto his side he spewed his last meal. His stomach clenching painfully as he continued to retch, gulping in air mixed with dust, dirt, and debris. Hot tears ran down his cheeks.

Curled on his side, he fought to regain control, so he could assess the situation. Danny heard the sound of distant voices, as the house became deathly quiet, and he slowly lost his fight to stay awake.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

A deafening rumble filled his ears. Steve steadied himself against the wall, as a tremor rippled under his feet, and through his body.

Steve's ear piece crackled to life. "Commander McGarrett, you need to extract your team immediately."

Without warning gunfire rang out close to where he stood. The full force of the shots hit Steve's vest, knocking him against the wall. He sucked in a deep breath, momentarily winded from the impact. Pushing back from the wall he glimpsed a silhouette ahead of him. He fired towards it, the thud of a body hitting the floor filled him with satisfaction. He moved forward in pursuit of his next target. The sound of masonry falling now replaced by the chatter of automatic weapons fire.

"Danny. Where are you?" Steve's shouted, but was answered with static.

"Command. What is Detective Williams' position?" Desperately trying to maintain his composure, he growled into his coms for assistance.

"We don't have his location, sir." Their response did not please him.

While processing that piece of information, he proceeded through another doorway. Training kicked into overdrive, and he zoned in on his next target, eliminating the threat with military precision. The burn in his chest from the hit he'd just taken spurred him forward. He knew how to use pain to his advantage.

"What do you mean you don't have it?" Steve retorted angrily, his concern for his partner growing.

"We lost the Detective's heat signature when part of the building collapsed." The same voice from the command center answered with just a bit of hesitation.

"We're clear up here." Lou shouted. "But our exit's compromised."

"Copy that. Hold your position. We have one hostile unaccounted for." Command advised.

"How the hell did we lose him?" Steve punched the wall in frustration. "I'm heading back towards Danny's position."

"Fire rescue suggest against that." An insistent voice couched.

"I'm not leaving without my partner." Steve shouted hoarsely. He stopped to catch his breath, his chest becoming tight. "Get the rest of my team out."

"Yes sir."

"Steve, don't do anything stupid." He registered Chin's voice. Realizing in his haste to find his best friend, he had neglected to check on the rest of his team.

"You guy's okay?" Steve forced the question out through gritted teeth.

Kono answered first. "We're fine boss. Chin's right, you need to be careful. The house is unstable - "

"Not to mention the armed gunman still at large." Lou interrupted Kono.

Still standing in the middle of the room in which he had first entered after splitting up from Danny, Steve's vision started to grey from a lack of oxygen. He struggled to focus. Hunched over, he watched sweat drip from his face onto to the floor.

"Fuck." The expletive escaped his lips before he could stop it.

"McGarrett. You okay?" He was only vaguely aware of the question broached by Lou.

The pain in his chest deepened as he attempted to take a deep breath before answering. "I appreciate the concern, but I'm not leaving without Danny."

"Watch your back, Steve." Chin responded unhappily.

"That's sound advice." A hard jab to the back of his head with the butt of a gun was followed by a kick to the back of his knees, dropping him to the floor.

"Commander you have a hostile - " The useless voice of a HPD officer buzzed annoyingly in his ears.

"Save it. I know." Steve interrupted. Furious, the SEAL could only blame himself for being uncharacteristically caught off guard.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

His wet nose sniffed along the floor, guiding him through the dark hallway. The house creaked in the quiet of the fading light. He pushed the door open with his front paw, catching the familiar scent again before moving forward. Without warning he fell, landing on his side, as the rotting timber of the stairs broke away under his weight. He yelped loudly as sharp splinters dug through his fur and into his flesh. Sitting back on his hind legs, he gave his body a shake. Dust and dirt flew into the air around him. After testing his legs, he gingerly continued down the broken stairway, stopping every so often to lick at his bloodied paws. The last few steps were gone, forcing him to jump the rest of the way. After a successful landing and another quick check of his shaky legs, he sniffed the air once again before moving further into the basement. It was cold and damp. The shadow of an old broken chair was cast on the wall in front of him by the light emanating from a flashlight, lying on the floor a few feet from where he stood.

He lowered his head to smell the cold concrete floor. Climbing over the debris from the collapsed ceiling, his tail wagged excitedly. He nudged, pushed, and then licked at the dust encrusted hand sticking out from the rubble. He scratched around in the dirt, trying to get purchase on the unstable pile. He barked loudly a couple of times, before sniffing at the matted blond hair sticking up in between pieces of timber and plasterboard. His large tongue licked at the blood streaked face, saliva dripping from the side of his mouth. He nuzzled the man's neck trying to get a response. When he heard a groan, he barked again. Standing unsteadily on the timber, looking down at the unmoving body, he clawed at the arm. When he received nothing more than a pained moan, he lay down at his side, letting out a disappointed whimper.


	2. Chapter 2

_Six hours earlier_

Nathan Reed leaned nonchalantly against the wall, AK-47 rifle hung over his shoulder. He lit a cigarette while looking out of the upstairs window of a derelict house. He surveyed the perimeter of the sizeable estate, its current inhabitants his responsibility to protect.

Reed, the head of a gang of _'_ guns for hire' and his employer Emanuel Ford, had been forced to halt operations and move across the island to their current location. Five-0 had been gaining ground on Ford over the past couple of months, and the last few days had seen the task force lead a number of raids on his business enterprise.

Now, the aim was for the boss to lay low, giving him some breathing space and time to formulate a plan. They needed to get the two dozen women in their possession off the island. Losing their hefty investment was not an option. Reed knew an unfavorable outcome could not only cost him a lucrative payout, but his life as well.

His time had been limited, so he'd called in a favor, hence the reason they now resided in this dilapidated house. So far off the beaten track, it rarely attracted visitors and more recently the local authorities had marked it unsafe for tourists. It had been condemned years earlier, along with the thirty bedroom convalescent home.

"You've got to be kidding." He stubbed the cigarette out on the wall, and shoved it behind his ear. The last thing he needed right now was another distraction.

"Carlos, we've got company. Meet me downstairs - now." He growled into his com link.

He ran down what was left of the stairs, missing the broken steps with ease. His agile moves were contrary to his six foot muscular build. He arrived in the entrance hall expecting to find Carlos waiting for him. Instead, he heard the youngest member of his crew rather than saw him. Carlos' blatant disregard of his orders infuriated him.

"You can't be here. This is private property." If the way Carlos barked the orders at the couple wasn't enough to scare them, his muscular physique and tattooed arms would be.

Reed stood hidden in the shadows, just inside the open doorway, observing the over-eager member of his team confront a young Hawaiian couple walking their dog. They stood on the path near the entrance to the house. The dog sniffed in Nathan's direction, barking and pulling on his lead. His hapless owner struggled to hold the large German Shepherd back.

"Gus, stop. I'm sorry, he's a bit excitable." He gave Carlos an apologetic smile. "We stopped to stretch our legs."

Nathan briefly thought the couple would make a good advert for the Hawaiian tourist board.

The man wore board shorts and t-shirt, his attire looked more suited to the beach. He seemed completely oblivious to any danger Carlos might pose. Solely concerned with his dog, which appeared to be more than his master could handle. His female companion, in floral sundress and sunglasses, hadn't missed a thing. His instinct told him she could be a problem.

"Come on Kale, we should go." The woman tugged at her companion's arm, all the while eyeing Carlos suspiciously.

Reed watched Carlos move his hand from his hip to the gun pushed into his waistband. Carlos was well known among his crew for being trigger happy.

"Don't do it. Let them leave, Carlos." Reed mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck, anger rising. _God, let them leave. I don't need another mess to explain._

Kale cleared his throat nervously. "Yes. Alana's right, we'd best get going. Come on, Gus."

Sensing his wife's unease, he had to practically drag Gus toward their car. The dog seemed hell bent on entering the house. Too scared to take his eyes off Carlos, Kale stumbled backwards.

Carlos followed them to their Jeep. He watched them get in, but just as they were about to drive away, Gus jumped out and bounded across the overgrown lawn.

"Gus! Here boy!" Hale's calls were in vain, so he climbed back out and gave chase, trying to grab hold of the dog's lead.

What followed had Nathan on auto pilot, acting mainly on instinct.

The dog had neared the front entrance to the house, almost in touching distance of Nathan, with Kale close behind. Carlos had his gun out and aimed at the man's back as he innocently tried to retrieve his dog. Kale never stood a chance, gunned down in cold blood. Alana watched in horror as the scene unfolded in front of her. Panicked, she slid across into the driver seat, slamming it into gear, and sped away. Nathan sprinted across the grass, firing at the rapidly disappearing vehicle.

The car veered off the road, kicking up stones and dust, as Alana lost control. The front end nose dived into a ditch with a tremendous crash, and steam rose into the sky from the crumpled radiator. Nathan came to a dead stop, AK-47 aimed and ready. Still in full attack mode he slowly walked over to it. Alana was slumped, bloodied and unmoving, over the steering wheel. More than one of his bullets had found their target. He tentatively placed two fingers on the side of her neck, breathing out a sigh of relief when he felt no pulse. Unfortunate mix up or not, he hated loose ends.

"Carlos." Nathan yelled as he trudged back towards the house. Two more of his guys had joined them. Drawn by the commotion. "You stupid son of a bitch."

Carlos was far from small in stature, but Nathan was a hulk of a man, and he now stood toe to toe with his underling. The other men took a visible step backwards, fear written all over their faces.

"I had no choice, Nathan. They would have called the cops." Carlos stood his ground.

"The guy was fetching his dog." Nathan snarled.

"Nathan." A young guy came running towards them shouting. "Ford's not hap-happy. He's demanding to see you r-right now."

Nathan looked up and grimaced, mentally kicking himself. _Had he been mistaken when he agreed to the lad joining them?_ He wasn't going to last long if he couldn't hold his shit together. Good with a gun or not, a stutter could get you killed.

"This conversation's not over, Carlos."

Carlos opened his mouth but thought better of it when Nathan scowled at him, as if daring him to question his authority again. Carlos held his hands up in defeat. Confrontation avoided, Nathan then stalked over to the young man.

"Tommy, you're in charge. Clean this mess up. Pull the Jeep out and hide it around back." Nathan squeezed the top of his arm. "Thanks bro."

The other men averted their eyes rather than voice any comments about the lesser experienced Tommy being placed in charge. No one would dare question Nathan.

"And find that dog." Nathan shouted his last order as he disappeared inside the building.

Carlos stood seething. "Ungrateful bastard." He mouthed the words angrily.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

The Five-0 team gathered around the smart table.

"What do we have Chin?" Steve stood arms folded across his chest.

"Dispatch picked up an emergency call this afternoon. It was from a young woman, Alana Mane." Chin pointed to the screen, showing Alana's driver's license. "Problem is she never spoke. Listen."

They all stood in shocked silence as they heard what could only be Alana Mane's last moments. The clatter of her cell hitting the floor was clearly audible, as were her short, quick breaths, punctuated by sobs. Soon the sound of gun fire, the roar of an engine, and a loud crash filled the bull pen.

The recording continued long enough for them to hear the enraged voice of her attacker.

"Chin buddy, tell me that's Carlos Rodriguez he's calling out to." Danny raised his eyebrows and offered a questioning gaze.

"Yes, and we believe the voice belongs to Nathan Reed."

Steve leaned forward. "You sure about this?"

"As sure as we can be boss." Kono brought a map up onto the screens. "I pinged the cell's GPS. North Shore. About two miles past Turtle Bay, there's a derelict convalescent home. The location fits with our latest intel."

"Gear up guys. We're heading to the North Shore." Steve held a hand up in front of Danny, to forestall the impending question. "We'll get SWAT and HPD over there too."

"I wasn't going to say a word. But I have to say I'm impressed, babe. _Backup._ " Danny grinned, shaking his head in disbelief. _"_ It's only taken five years. There's hope for you yet."

"You really weren't going to say a word? How many years has that taken?" Lou smirked.

"Too many Lou." Steve smiled.

Danny walked past the pair, waving his finger at them. "Children."

Steve and Lou exchanged amused looks. Shrugging their shoulders in unison, they followed behind him.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Nathan walked down an upstairs corridor, heading towards the very last room at the back of the house. The boards protested under his heavy boot-clad feet. The only other sound was that of a generator rumbling near by.

He knocked on the splintered wooden frame, the door itself removed long ago.

"Reed, get in here." His boss hollered.

Nathan reluctantly stepped forward. Intimidating manor evaporating.

"Sir, I apologize. My men are getting this mess cleaned up."

"They better had. You and me are leaving here now."

On the other side of the room stood Emanuel Ford. He was a tall, dark haired, handsome man, in his early forties. Wearing a tailored suit, he oozed wealth and power. He looked very much out of place in amongst the filth of his temporary quarters.

"What about the girls and my men?"

"What about them? You really think no one's going to miss two locals?" Ford began pacing the room all the while massaging his temples. "It won't be long before the law comes snooping around."

"All the more reason to take them with us. We can find another place. I'll speak to one of my contacts now." Nathan turned to go.

"I don't think so." Ford stepped in front of him, blocking the exit. "I was led to believe you were an intelligent man, the best at what you do."

"I am." Sweat beaded on his forehead. Reed had worked his way up the ranks and had witnessed Ford's temper in full flow. The man was known to get his hands dirty if the occasion called for it. Even with the rifle slung over his shoulder he felt vulnerable, completely out of his depth.

"I don't see it. We are leaving. With any luck the girls and your men will be out of here in a few days." Ford headed down the corridor.

Nathan followed. "And what if they don't?"

Ford stopped and turned to face Nathan.

"You'd better pray they do, or you're going to owe me big time, and I'm not just talking money. You have five minutes to brief your men and then we're leaving." Ford continued on his way, disappearing down the stairs.

Nathan punched the wall, pieces of plaster dropping to the floor.

"Damn you Carlos."


	3. Chapter 3

Steve squatted down uncomfortably, the cold steel of a gun pressing against his temple. He knew he couldn't afford to get caught up in a hostage situation. Not for just his sake, but that of his team, and more importantly Danny. His own firearm now lay discarded and out of reach.

"P-Pass me your cuffs. Do-don't try anything...you hear." The young man stuttered nervously. His earlier bravado lost.

Steve steadied himself, one hand planted on the floor in front of him, the other reaching around to get his handcuffs. He patiently watched the guy circle him, biding his time. The pain in his chest had begun to ease, so he felt stronger, more sure of his next move. He needed to take his adversary down.

With all his might, Steve whipped around. Using his whole body weight, he delivered a powerful blow. The sudden strike hit the mid-section of his opponent, taking him unawares, weapon slipping from his grip and clattering to the floor.

Enraged by the sudden turn of events, his assailant unleashed a barrage of fierce punches. Steve blocked each one with ease. In a well-practiced move, the Navy SEAL grabbed the man's head and brought it down sharply, bringing his knee up at the same time. The youth staggered backwards, hand held to his bloody nose. In one seamless move, Steve picked up the gun, and aimed it at his retreating attacker.

"Get down. Hands behind your head." Steve rocked unsteadily. His vision greying, as he struggled to hold on to consciousness.

Sensing an opportunity, the determined mercenary leapt forward. He snagged hold of Steve's hand and tried to wrestle the gun from him. Steve pulled the trigger, and the guy slumped forward clawing at Steve in a desperate attempt to stay up right. The young man's eyes rolled back in his head and his lips quivered as he tried to speak, but all that came out was a gargling sound. His dead weight dragging them both down to the floor.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

"Steve? Talk to me. What's your status?" Chin uncharacteristically paced the small dark room. His frantic calls were met with silence.

"Damn it, McGarrett." Lou threw his hands up in frustration. "He's turned off his coms link."

"Or someone else did." Chin retorted angrily.

"Hey guys. I think I've found a way out." Kono's upper body was hanging out of a window.

While the boys had been busy trying to contact Steve, Kono had spent the time trying to find a means of escape. The partial collapse of the adjacent room had effectively cut off their only exit.

She slid over, making room for a curious Chin, and shined her flashlight over to a cement block structure, which resembled a small garage or storage facility. She then pointed to an old framework hanging just below the window, rusting away, but still bolted firmly to the outer brick wall of the house.

"This looks like the remains of an old balcony. We can climb down and then jump across. It should take our weight." Kono leaned out further and rattled the metal work.

Lou cleared his throat and the two cousins looked over their shoulders at him. "Shouldn't we be waiting for the experts to get us out?"

"There's no way they'll get a fire rescue vehicle around here." Kono gestured to outside the window. "This is our best option, if we want to move fast."

"Do I look like I can move fast?" Lou pointed to himself.

"You'll be fine. It'll be a piece of cake. I'll go first." Kono pulled herself up on to the window ledge.

"Seriously? Traversing metal work and jumping on to roofs? I think you got me confused with someone else."

"Lou, Kono's right, we can't afford to wait. Not with Steve and Danny in trouble."

A gun shot stopped their conversation. Without further hesitation, the team sprang into action. Kono was through the window and navigating her way towards the outbuilding's roof. Lou was more hesitant, giving Chin a less than confident look as he climbed out.

"Command. Give me a status update now." Chin's voice held no room for argument.

"Commander McGarrett engaged the mercenary. They both went down after the gun shot. Neither have moved and we are unable to raise the commander on his coms link."

"Be advised, we are exiting the rear and will be with you soon."

"Understood, sir."

Kono landed with a grunt on to the small roof. She stood and brushed herself off.

"Come on Lou, jump. It's just a few feet." She stamped her feet a few times and then shouted encouragingly. "Solid as a rock."

" _ A few feet. _ She says." Lou grumbled under his breath. He was perched on the unsteady steel rail.

"You had better be right about this, sister." Lou launched himself forward. He landed heavily, falling onto his side. "Hell, that hurt."

Kono held out a helping hand, and Lou gratefully accepted. He stood up and rubbed his arm.

"Next time, I for one, will be listening to Danny. None of us would be in this position if we had."

"Too late to start second guessing ourselves now." Chin said as he landed in front of them.

"Well I'll be damned, would you believe it? Our victim's Jeep." Lou aimed his flashlight over the edge of the roof.

"That'll make getting off here a whole lot easier." Kono directed her comment at Lou, who was suitably unimpressed.

Using the vehicle's hood to break her fall, she made her descent. Chin and Lou followed close behind. Once they were all safely down on solid ground, Kono wasted no time in pulling out her cell, using its GPS to navigate their way back to the command post.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Steve shoved the man's torso off his legs and climbed to his feet, the rush of adrenaline finally starting to dissipate. He swayed as a wave of dizziness washed over him. For the first time, he registered the slow tickle of something wet running down his arm. He hissed through clenched teeth when his fingers came into contact with the deep graze in his bicep. The memory of a glancing shot to his arm coming back to him.

Maybe Danny was right, they should have gone in better prepared. The setting sun was now proving itself a worthy nemesis. Steve found it hard to focus, the semi-darkness wreaking havoc with his depth perception. He retrieved his firearm, and switched on its light. He cast its beam over the scene in front of him, frowning at the body laying at his feet.  _ How did someone so young end up in a place like this?  _ Steve pushed that thought away.

He pulled out his cell and thumbed the camera icon. With one hand he snapped a photo and then proceeded to find the remainder of the dead mercenaries. Photographing each one.

Steps uneven, he walked back the way he came. He stopped, leaning heavily against a wall and set his gun and cell on the floor. He proceeded to awkwardly take his tack vest off, letting out a pained groan as he did so. He dropped it to the floor before removing his outer shirt.

Steve pulled a knife from his cargoes and used it to tear a strip off his shirt. He then tied the fabric around his arm, using his teeth to pull it tight. He bent over to retrieve the items from the floor, but froze when the sound of a dog barking startled him. When the house fell silent once again he grabbed everything apart from his vest.

After taking a deep breath, he activated his coms link. "I'm clear in here. Kono, I'm sending you some photos to I.D. I'm going to try and find Danny."

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

The sound of Steve's voice caught everyone by surprise. The rest of his team had just got back to the command post.

"Steve, you need to get out of there. Fire rescue are going to set up a lighting rig and make the house safe." Everyone was on tender hooks waiting on a response to Chin's statement.

"You work the case from out there while the building's secured. I'm not leaving without Danny."

"Steve. That's a bad idea." Lou said with a heavy sigh.

"That wasn't a request." Steve replied tersely.

"Stay safe, boss and find Danny." Kono stared worriedly towards the house.

"Okay guys, let's nail this son of a bitch." Lou grabbed a laptop from the back of the police van nearby. "Here Kono, start with facial recognition. We have yours and Steve's photos of the dead perps, let's see it we can identify any of them."

"I'll get CSU to process the Jeep." Chin wrapped his arm around Kono. "They'll be fine, cuz."

Kono gave an unconvinced smile in return.


	4. Chapter 4

Danny was brought back to the here and now by a loud crack, maybe gunfire. He couldn't be sure of anything in his half conscious haze. He opened his eyes to darkness and blinked several times to clear his vision, but could still see nothing. Panicked by his sudden blindness, his chest tightened making it tough to breathe. He tried to move, but quickly became aware that he was trapped. Now his beleaguered brain conjured up distant memories of the parking garage, of being pinned down, a lack of oxygen and Steve holding his hand. But this time it was different, he was alone.

With his anxiety growing, the feeling of claustrophobia now surpassed his physical wounds. He ran a trembling hand across his brow and up into his hair. His face felt hot and sweaty and he was having trouble getting his breathing under control. No doubt the Mets would not help him today. He closed his eyes tight, willing his heart to slow down. Then the sensation of something rough and wet on his face startled him. His involuntary shudder sent a searing pain through his legs. He groaned, and the warm body next to him whimpered in kind.

Danny looked in the direction of the sound, sure he must be hallucinating. Then he remembered the dog, and sensed it next to him. In the same moment, his eyes were drawn to a faint glow not far away. He felt some relief, knowing he could see and he wasn't alone. The ghost of a smile crossed his face, but it soon turned into more of a grimace when the thumping pain in his head took hold with a vice-like grip.

"So I guess it's just you and me." He patted the dog's head, coughing harshly, his voice low and gravelly.

The dog stood and barked as if asking him to do the same. Danny cleared his throat before speaking. "I'd love to boy, but I'm kind of stuck here."

He knew he had to retake control, slow his breathing, to fight back. He placed one hand on the floor in an attempt to move, but instantly regretted it when he felt something sticky under his hand. His fingers sank into the thick, lumpy substance, the smell of it filling his nostrils, making him gag. The acrid taste of vomit suddenly very strong in his mouth. He quickly pulled his hand back, trying to wipe it clean on his shirt, and he ended up spitting on himself as he tried to get rid of the awful taste. The memories of his earlier fall through the ceiling slowly coming back to him.

"Pull yourself together, Williams." Breathing hard and fast through the pain, he gradually pulled himself into a more upright position. Pieces of debris fell away, causing plumes of dust to fill the air, making him cough again. The involuntary tremors aggravating his injuries further.

Something dropped next to his hand. He looked up and came face to face with a shiny black nose. Mere inches away, Danny could now smell the dog's breath. In his effort to move, he hadn't noticed his new friend's trip to fetch the flashlight.

"Good boy." A wet tongue to the face was the only response. Danny gave the dog's head a good scratch in return.

He shined the flashlight around the basement, stopping when it lit up the bottom half of his body. All he could see were broken ceiling boards and pieces of timber. Nothing too large or heavy.

"Maybe I'm not trapped under here after all." Danny looked at his friend. "What do you think?" The dog tilted its head to one side as if thinking of an answer.

Danny strained to look over his shoulder, trying to see how far he was from the wall. Just the thought of moving made him feel a little woozy and it was difficult to concentrate.

"I have a feeling this is gonna hurt."

Danny held the flashlight in his teeth and placed both hands on either side of himself barely avoiding the puddle of puke. He pushed down and slid back. He yelled out, the flashlight dropping between his legs, the surge of agony almost beyond what he could endure. With teeth gritted, he fought through the pain and kept on going, until he felt the solid wall at his back. He let his body slump against the cold concrete, his head rolling forward, and he sat there panting hard. Tears tracked down his cheeks. His tenuous grip on reality weakened.

Once again his face was swathed in saliva. Danny had lost track of time, his fatigued brain struggled to concentrate on any one thing for more than a few seconds at a time. He desperately wanted to sink back into his pain free abyss, but his friend had other ideas.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were channeling Steve. You'd like him."

For the first time since his fall through the ceiling, he remembered why he was there. That one thought filled his head with a jumble of questions. Where was Steve and the rest of the team? Why hadn't they tried to rescue him? Why so quiet? He was wearing his tack vest, but where was his gun? Then he remembered the coms link. His hand flew up to his ear.

"Great that's busted."

A paw clawed at his raised arm.

"Okay, you win." Danny pointed towards the flashlight, sitting on the floor in front of him. "Fetch."

The dog obeyed, picking it up like a bone, and dropped it in his lap.

"Good boy."

He ran the light along his legs. Danny sighed, and then looked at his companion. "What do you think? Broken? They're both killing me."

Danny rested his head against the wall. Eyes closed, he took a few deep breaths. In through his nose, out his mouth, trying to count to five each time.

"Think damn it. What would Super SEAL do?"

Danny rubbed his hand across his forehead. Instantly regretting it when his hand came into contact with a nasty gash along his hairline.

"Ouch." Despite the discomfort, Danny explored the wound. It felt tacky, like a scab was already forming. He studied his fingers, rubbing them together. Hesitantly, he touched them to the tip of his tongue.  _ Blood. _

Danny started to panic all over again, he was trapped, bleeding and in considerable pain. He could feel his heart rate increase, his breathing started to come in short, shallow gasps as he frantically tried to work out a way to escape. Then it hit him - his cell.

He reached into his pocket, and pulled it out. He stared in disbelief, the screen was smashed; he could have cried.

"No, no, no."

Desperately he tried to turn it on, but nothing. He pressed the on button repeatedly, even though he knew it wasn't going to magically repair itself, because for a short lived time it actually made him feel better. He dared hope for a miracle. Then Danny launched the useless piece of plastic across the room, anger and frustration rearing their heads.

The surge of adrenaline did him no favors. His whole body ached and he could barely keep his eyes open. If not for his new friend, he might have passed out already. He sat there watching the dog fetch his cell back to him. He plonked it on to Danny's lap and then laid down next to him, warm jaw resting on his thigh.

"Got to turn this off buddy." Danny held the flashlight up. "I know it sucks, but the battery won't last."

Now sitting in the pitch black basement, Danny could feel his anxiety rising once again. He stroked his companion's head with a shaky hand.

"Shit...I don't know if I can do this."

The dog barked loudly.

"I guess I can, if you've got my back." Danny took a few deep breaths. "But if you want to be my partner, you need a name."

The dog hadn't moved his head from where it rested on Danny's leg. Danny smiled fondly down at him, the black and tan colouring reminding him of the ex-urban search dog, Joey, they had re-homed when he was a kid. All the New Jersey Rescue and Recovery K-9 unit dogs were German Shepherds. Danny's dad would often regale them with stories of rescues, in awe of their unflinching bravery. His dad was good friends with Joey's handler, so there were plenty of tales to tell. He'd saved many individuals young and old, and some from collapsed buildings. That last memory bought him back to his current plight.

"Busted legs, busted com link, busted cell. Buster. Sound good to you?"

Danny smiled as he thought of Steve's reaction to him befriending the dog and giving him a name.

"He won't be happy. I can picture his aneurysm face." Danny continued to stroke Buster, his thoughts drifting back to their arrival.

_ HPD and SWAT had already set up a command post when the team arrived. The German Shepherd had come bounding over the moment they exited the Camaro. A flustered HPD officer chasing after it. Danny was instantly taken with the dog. _

_ "I got him. Hey boy, what's wrong? You got your leash caught around your leg. Here let me take it off." Danny unclipped the lead and tossed it to the officer. _

_ "Sir, we think he belonged to the victims." The officer stuffed the lead into an evidence bag. _

_ "It's likely that they stopped to walk the dog." Danny crouched down, letting the dog lick his face. _

_ "Can you please take care of him?" Steve slapped the officer on the back as he walked past him. "Danno, come on. We have a gang of mercenaries to take down. It's no time to be playing with that dog." _

_ "It's okay. I got this." Danny stood up, holding onto the dogs collar. He walked it towards Lou, passing Chin and Kono. _

_ "The boss won't be happy." Kono laughed. _

_ "She's right, brah." Chin added with a big grin. _

_ "Lou. Do me a favor, let the dog sit in the back of your SUV?" Danny proceeded to open the rear passenger door. _

_ "What's wrong with your car?" Lou pointed to the Camaro. _

_ "Your vehicle's bigger. In you get, boy. Lou, please? Put all the windows down." _

_ Lou turned on the ignition and did as Danny asked. "He's gonna be pissed." _

_ "At me, not you." They both knew who he meant. Danny didn't care what his partner thought. The dog had been through enough. He wanted to make sure someone cared for the goofy thing. _

_ "Damn right. This is all on you." _

_ Danny patted the dog one more time before closing the door. "Between you and me, he prefers cats." _

_ "Is that right?" _

_ "I was talking to the dog." _

_ Lou turned away and snorted. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" _

Danny's zoned in and out. His ability to concentrate slowly diminishing.

"He said I couldn't keep you, but what does  _ he _ know?" Danny's word's now came out slurred. His hand faltered as he continued to pet Buster's head. His mind wandered back to earlier.

_ "Good of you to join us." Steve said with a sharp tone. _

_ Danny squeezed between Chin and Kono. They had the schematics of the two buildings laid out on a patrol car hood. Danny looked up to meet Steve's unhappy glare from the other side of the vehicle. _

_ "You're not keeping it." Steve snapped. _

_ Lou peered over Danny's shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Told you he'd be pissed." _

_ Danny's resultant smile, further aggravated Steve. Arms folded across his chest, the slight shake of his head barely perceivable, but caught by Danny. _

_ "Before we do anything the fire chief needs to..." _

The scene faded as Danny slumped over, finally losing his fight to stay awake. Buster still at his side.


	5. Chapter 5

Steve stood in the now dark hallway. He leaned heavily against the wall, his head foggy from blood loss. He stretched, testing his body. The simple action sent a searing pain through what he knew were broken ribs.

He closed his eyes and tried to center himself, visualising the schematics he had studied earlier. The memory reminding him of Danny and the damned German Shepherd. He had heard the dog bark a few times now and guessed it was somewhere below in the basement with his partner.

He hadn't been able to access the room Danny last entered. An interior wall had collapsed, blocking his way. The total devastation and lack of floor and ceiling made his heart clench. He prayed his friend was still alive.

Steve moved that thought to the back of his mind. He continued on to where he hoped he would find the entrance to the stairwell which led to the basement. He struggled to navigate the maze of corridors, the lack of light and bland walls becoming disorientating.

"Danny." Steve had shouted out numerous times. His frantic calls had not been answered and even the dog had fallen silent.

For the first time since he entered the house, he smelled the odor of decay - damp, musty, oppressive. Steve wiped his brow with his upper arm, momentarily stopping to catch his breath. He shined the light at a partially obscured doorway a short distance from where he stood. A small smile played at the corners of his mouth.

Knowing the thing was probably as rotten as the rest of the place, he kicked the door. It gave way easily, creaking open. He hesitated for a few seconds, wary of what he might find down in the darkness and debris of the broken old mansion.

"Danno?" The only response was the sound of a dog barking.

He used the taclight on his SIG to illuminate the steps. The bottom half had collapsed, but he knew he could easily jump the rest of the way. He took a tentative step forward and started down the stairs.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Danny shifted in an attempt to get more comfortable on the hard, unforgiving floor. The pain in his legs was relentless, and his head pounded with every beat of his heart. He reluctantly opened his eyes. Groggy from the head wound, he fumbled with the flashlight. When he eventually turned it on, he watched Buster get to his feet, ears pricked up.

"What do you hear, boy?" Danny rasped.

Buster barked frantically when the door leading down into the basement creaked open. He ran to the bottom of the stairs and stood barking.

"Buster. Here." Danny patted the ground next to him.

Buster ignored him, instead letting out a low guttural growl, baring his teeth. A pair of heavy booted feet appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Danny... _Danno_? You down here?" The frantic call bounced off the walls.

"Steve...over here." Danny's voice was weak.

The familiar click of a safety coming off had his heart in his throat. Buster stalked forward in full attack mode. Saliva dripped from his mouth as he continued to snarl at the figure before him.

"Buster. No! Stop." Danny shouted desperately.

For a second, his injuries were forgotten. His vision narrowed, focusing solely on the dog before him. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears, his heart pounding much too fast in his chest.

"Steve don't. Please. He won't hurt you." Danny pleaded.

Danny reached out and grabbed a piece of timber. He launched it at Buster in the hope of stopping his attack. The lump of wood fell short of its target.

"Please Buster, no." His voice laced with fear.

Then, the sound of a single gun shot tore at his heart as he looked on helplessly. Dust billowed into the air and Buster let out a loud yelp. Danny closed his eyes against the sting of tears, his ears ringing as the gunshot resonated within the small space.

The sound of a soft whimper had him opening his eyes once more. Buster lay on his side blood pooling under his head. An anguished sob escaped Danny's lips.

Two boot clad feet landed heavily in front of Buster. Danny slowly registered the gun hanging limply at his partner's side, but he couldn't bring himself to look Steve in the face. At that moment all he felt was hate and an overwhelming amount of anger towards his friend.

"Danny. Buddy, you with me?" Steve shined the light in Danny's face.

"Danno." Steve all but yelled his name when he didn't get a reaction.

Danny jolted awake.

"What the hell? Get away from me." Danny was instantly combative.

Steve backed away, holding his hands up in an attempt to placate his partner.

"Take deep breaths, Danno. You need to slow your breathing." Steve could see the subtle tremor that ran through his friend's body.

Danny suddenly realized Buster still lay next to him. He rested his head back against the wall, letting out a deep breath. The dream now coming back to him. He looked back down at his new friend, tears of relief streaming down his cheeks. He gently scratched the top of his head, between the ears, and Buster made a contented groaning sound from deep in his throat.

"Sorry. You shot Buster..." His voice just above a whisper.

"I didn't mean to startle you." Steve squatted down next to Danny and rubbed his arm soothingly.

"l kept calling you, and your friend here never moved. He looks injured. Did he fall through the ceiling with you?"

Steve shined the light on Buster, running his hand along his side, eliciting a yelp.

"How bad? And no, he never fell through the ceiling. He found me."

"He's got some nasty abrasions on his side, and there's some large splinters of wood embedded in his skin. Could be infected."

Steve moved so he could kneel down by Danny's legs. He pulled out a knife and proceeded to cut the leg of his pants.

"Can't you do something for Buster?" Danny looked crestfallen at the dog.

"I'm not a vet... _Buster_. You named him." Steve shook his head disapprovingly. "Let me take a look at you first, buddy."

Steve ran his hands along Danny's calf and shin. Receiving a hiss from Danny when he reached his knee, gently examining it.

"Sorry pal. It looks like you damaged this pretty bad. It's swollen. The rest of your leg looks fine."

Steve moved over to the other leg and repeated his ministrations. This time, when he cut through Danny's pants, his partner yelled out. Danny squeezed his eyes shut, panting heavily and shivering from the pain. Steve knew he needed to calm his best friend as well as himself before the situation spiraled out of control.

"Take deep breaths for me, Danno. Ride it out." Steve waited for his breathing to slow before continuing. "I need to get your shoe off. I'm not going to lie to you. This is going to hurt."

"Just do it Steven." Danny ground out through clenched teeth.

Steve cut through the laces and gingerly pulled on the shoe. This time, after Danny screamed, he slumped back, blacking out.

"No, Danny don't do that. Come on, buddy open your eyes." Steve moved closer to his partner, frantically tapping his cheeks, trying to rouse him.

Danny groaned, but kept his eyes closed. "Just get it over with." He slurred out.

"It's already done." Steve sat down by Danny's side, back against the wall. "You really did a number on your leg. Possibly shattered some bone."

"Is that it?" Danny opened his eyes, and glared at Steve.

Steve shrugged in response. "There's nothing I can do, Danno."

"So seriously, _that's it?_ " His voice a little stronger. Emboldened by frustration. "What have you done with Super SEAL?"

Danny heaved in a ragged breath.

"Hey, take it easy." Steve worried his partner was working himself up to a full rant. Neither of them had the energy for that.

Danny grabbed hold of Steve's cargo pants with one hand and weakly tugged at them. "You haven't got a small field hospital in there?"

Steve pulled Danny's hand away, but held on to it. "Danno, calm down. Getting worked up isn't going to help any."

"Seriously? No water or protein bars...no Advil?" Danny tried to take slow even breathes.

"You just have to hang in there, partner. I called the team when I first found you. Fire rescue will have us out of here before sunrise."

"And what about you?" Danny studied Steve's expression as he changed gears. "How bad?"

Steve laughed. "Detective Danny Williams. Never misses a beat. Even in the dark and hurting."

"Babe, I know when you're hiding something. You have a face."

"I don't have a face." Steve tried to look offended. "Nothing to worry about. Some bruised ribs, small graze on my arm."

He turned so Danny could get a better look. A piece of Steve's shirt covered the wound and dried blood coated his bicep. There were more dark streaks smeared across his shirt and face. Even in the dim light it was obvious Steve was a mess.

Danny snorted. "Yeah, that's why you look like death warmed up. You're a terrible liar, Steven."

"And you're not?" Steve pointed to Buster. "You can't keep him."

"As much as I'd love to have this conversation, can we save it for later?"

Steve shined the light on Danny.

"Hey, what's with you and that friggin' laser beam? You trying to blind me?" Danny batted the flashlight away.

Danny's face was pale, covered by a sheen of sweat, and the slight tremble from earlier had now become more of a shiver.

"You're cold." Steve moved closer, wrapping his arm around his best friend's back, and pulled him in close.

"You have no concept of personal space, my friend." Danny's head flopped onto Steve's shoulder.

"Says the guy who demands a hug after every near death experience." Steve squeezed him tight.

"And you don't?" Danny couldn't help but smile.

Steve kissed the top of his head and then rested his chin there.

"I got you Danno."

"And Buster." Danny reached out and stroked Buster's side as the dog lay against his thigh.


	6. Chapter 6

Nestled away in a remote spot along the North Shore, the long abandoned ruins now resembled a movie set. Artificial lights illuminated the ramshackle buildings, and the shadows cast by the banyan trees danced on the crumbling walls. HPD and fire service personnel worked tirelessly to shore up the house. The place was alive with the rumble of machines and the back and forth of the rescue teams.

Too wrapped up in what they were doing, the three team members were oblivious to the buzz of activity around them. Chin and Lou barely turned their heads towards the house when they heard the guttural roar of the generators starting up. They were on a mission.

Buoyed by the knowledge that their friends were alive, they continued to work the case while waiting for the all clear to re-enter the premises. Huddled around a laptop, the two men watched as Kono sifted through what little information they had. She shut everyone out until a name caught her attention.

"Guys, you need to see this." Kono frowned at the images in front of her. She pointed to the screen. "These are all our dead perps, but Emanuel Ford and Nathan Reed are not among them."

"The man's not stupid." Lou paced next to the patrol vehicle they were currently using as a desk. "He knew we would be all over this place eventually."

"I'll put out an APB." Chin pulled out his cell as he walked away.

"Wait. There's something else." Kono grabbed Chin's arm and pulled him back towards the laptop.

"What is it, cuz?"

"The photos Steve sent. One of them is Thomas Reed."

"Tell me that's a coincidence." Chin looked over at the information on the screen.

Kono shook her head. "Nathan's younger brother."

Chin realized the implication immediately. "He'll be gunning for us when he hears the news."

"It could work in our favour. What better way to flush him out. He might unknowingly lead us to Ford." Lou stopped pacing and stood deep in thought with his hand on his chin.

Kono closed the laptop down. "There's nothing more I can do from here. I'm going to check on the guys up at the house. You coming, Lou?"

"I'll catch up." The big guy then mumbled something under his breath and trudged off towards his car.

Chin looked from Lou to Kono and shrugged his shoulders. "You do that, cuz. I'll go make some calls."

Lou stood by his SUV, surveying the surrounding area.

"Damn. Any of you guys see where the dog went?" Lou shouted at no one in particular. After receiving a resounding no from the officers nearby, he proceeded to follow Kono towards the house.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

The warmth at his side gave some relief to his ailing body. Danny shifted, trying to get into a more comfortable position. His badly broken leg throbbed in time with his heartbeat, but his foot felt numb and his toes tingled. The thigh of the same leg felt warm, something heavy pushing it down. He squinted in the dark to look, but he could see nothing. He blinked a few times, his eyes struggling to adjust to the darkness. When his next attempt failed, he groped for the flashlight, careful not to disturb his sleeping partner.

Buster's upper body laid across Danny's thigh. Whilst asleep he hadn't noticed the dog move. He gently stroked the dark brown fur, tickling Buster's neck under his collar. The dog's head lulled from side to side. Danny's stomach clenched with fear as he shone the bright light on the dog's closed eyes.

"Buster?" At first it was just a whisper. "Buster. Wake up boy." Now Danny's words became more fraught.

"Buster." Danny now poked and prodded at the dog. Desperate to provoke a reaction.

"Danny, calm down. What's wrong?" Steve watched bleary-eyed at his partner's now frenzied attempts to wake the dog.

Steve pushed to his feet. He carefully stepped over Danny and crouched down next to Buster. Steve placed his hand low on Buster's chest to feel for a heart beat. Lowering his head, he sucked in a deep breath, his ribs protesting at the motion. He looked at the anguished face before him. Tears streamed down Danny's cheeks.

"Danno I'm sorry, he's gone. Here, let me move him off your leg."

"You should have done something." Danny spat the words, completely taking Steve by surprise.

"Danno, there was nothing I could have done."

"Don't Danno me. This is your fault. I asked you to help him." Anger rolled off Danny in waves.

Steve placed his hands either side of Buster's upper body, but before he could lift him Danny grabbed at his wrists.

"Don't touch him."

"Danny, calm down. You're not thinking straight. It's just a dog. He's not even yours."

Steve's words added fuel to the fire, and Danny erupted with a dangerous mix of distress and anger. He released Steve's wrists and shoved him backwards, aggressively pushing his chest. Steve yelled out in pain and fell unceremoniously onto the hard concrete floor.

" _It's just a dog_. Is that what you think?" Danny's breaths came in a panted staccato. He watched Steve through a tear-filled haze. His partner lay on the floor before him, clutching at his chest.

Shaking uncontrollably, Danny fumbled with the flashlight, wanting to get a better look. Shining it on his partner, his emotions shifted from boiling anger to gut-wrenching horror. He could do nothing but watch his best friend fight for every breath. Steve's breathing became more laboured with every second that passed, his lips turning blue. For the briefest moment, Danny's panic stricken eyes met Steve's pain filled ones.

Without a second thought Danny pushed Buster off his lap and tried to stand. Overcome by searing pain, he only made it mere inches from the floor. He collapsed onto his side. Arm outstretched, his fingertips brushed Steve's leg.

"Steven." He forced the name out between sobs.

Steve's body fell limp, one arm dropping down by his side, the other stilled on top his chest.

In a flash Danny's world shattered. His overwhelming desire to save his best friend's life was stymied by his broken body. Heart pounding in his chest, the blood rushed loudly in his ear. He closed his eyes and fought against the pain that threatened to engulf him. Slowly, he felt himself sink into oblivion.


	7. Chapter 7

Every breath sent a wave of burning pain through Steve's body. A fierce headache had taken up residence in his skull. He shifted himself slightly, the side of his face now touching the wall. The cool concrete gave him some relief from the nauseating thrum in his head. As he drifted back to sleep, random images and sounds crowded his mind. A dilapidated house, the creak of a floor board, gun fire, a dog barking. But the dog wouldn't stop, no matter how much he wanted it to shut up. Then the barks were replaced by pitiful moans which grew into anguished cries.

Something hit Steve in the chest, knocking the wind out of him, he gasped for air, and jolted awake. He looked to his side to see Danny thrashing wildly. A string of unintelligible words escaped his partner's lips. Steve struggled to his knees and leaned over Danny, desperately trying to calm his friend. He got as close as he dared, hesitant to touch him for fear of getting struck by a flailing fist again.

Buster sat there seemingly on guard, watching every move. He occasionally bared his teeth, making a low rumbling sound which slowly turned into a growl, testing Steve's resolve. He restrained himself from batting the dog away. Painfully aware of Danny's desire to keep him close. Why Steve still couldn't fathom - to him it was just an animal.

"Danno, stop. Open your eyes."

His shouts had little effect. So, he lowered his voice and soothed Danny like he'd seen him do with Grace more than once.

"Come on, buddy. Calm down. I got you."

Danny quieted, though subtle tremors still ran through his body, his breathing rapid and shallow. Steve's past experiences in the field told him his partner could be going into shock. He reached up to touch his face, but stopped himself at the last moment, his hand wavering over Danny's forehead. He imagined it would be cold and moist. The usually stoic SEAL started to panic as he watched Danny rapidly deteriorating before him. Running out of ideas, Steve picked up the flashlight, shining it directly into his best friend's eyes.

Danny brought his hands up to shield his eyes from the blinding white light, piercing his retinas like shards of glass. His heart hammered against his ribs. When the light dimmed, he opened them and stared wide-eyed into the face of his partner. Steve's lips were moving, but Danny couldn't hear a single word. Unable to stop himself, the lack of oxygen dulling his senses, he vomited what little contents remained in his stomach, narrowly missing his friend. He continued to retch, straining his stomach muscles. Two hands quickly grabbed hold of each of his upper arms. Those strong hands were the only reason he didn't fall face first into his own puke.

He was slowly losing the battle to stay awake, and he was about to give in when Buster howled loudly next to him. He gasped as if he'd been shocked by a bolt of lightning. Reaching out, he twisted the front of Steve's shirt in his hands like a lifeline, and he pulled his best friend toward him, burying his head in his shoulder. Consumed by the overwhelming flood of emotions, he shook uncontrollably, hanging on to his partner for dear life. Steve dropped the flashlight and grabbed hold of Danny, who then crumpled into a sobbing wreck. Steve rubbed Danny's back, at a loss as to what had just happened.

The two stayed that way for a few minutes, Danny's hands strangling Steve's blue t-shirt. Finally his tears stopped, but Danny never moved. With his head still nestled against Steve's shoulder, a muffled sniff could be heard every so often. Steve wasn't sure how much more his ribs could take, or his knees for that matter. He was reluctant to move, wanting and needing the contact just as much as his friend.

Steve sensed a set of eyes boring into the back of his head. He turned in Buster's direction. The dog was close enough that he could feel his hot breath on his face. Steve could just about see Buster in the limited light from the discarded flashlight. He sat panting. Long tongue partially hanging out, with saliva dripping off the end. For a second, Steve thought the dog was actually smiling.

"As annoying as your barking is, it did the trick. You did good, pal."

Buster slavered Steve with his wet tongue. Not wanting to loosen his grip on Danny, he tried to wipe his cheek with the top of his arms, but failed miserably. When he looked back at Buster, he couldn't help the grin that lit up his face.

"I guess I can see why he likes you so much."

"You're both okay?" A barely audible rough voice emanated from against his shoulder.

"Hey buddy, you back with me?" Steve spoke softly.

Steve pushed Danny away to get a look at his face. Red rimmed eyes squinted up at him.

"I thought Buster was dead. I hurt you. I..." Danny's eyes dropped back down as if ashamed.

"You didn't hurt me, and your four legged friend is right here. Very much alive." When he didn't get a response he continued talking. "Honestly we're good, but I need to sit down Danno. My ribs are sore."

Danny let go of the mangled shirt. "They're broken, not bruised, right?"

Steve looked puzzled. "Yea...how did you know?"

"Like I told you earlier. You're a terrible liar, babe."

Their conversation was interrupted by a not too distant rumble. Light trickled through the hole in the ceiling. Giving the basement a dusk-like appearance.

"Generators. See, I told you we'd be out of here soon." Steve looked up into the light emanating down from the damaged ceiling.

Groaning loudly, he eased himself back next to Danny, sitting up against the wall. Buster lay back down and closed his eyes.

They sat in silence for a while listening to the distant hum of machinery. Steve the first to speak. "You wanna to talk about it?"

"No."

"That's it, no? Danno that was some -"

"Some what? Nightmare, panic attack, delusion." Danny held his hand up to the side of his head and winced. "Concussions suck."

"That they do buddy." Steve gently squeezed Danny's thigh. "It won't be long and we'll both be on the good stuff."

"Sure you're not already? I could swear I heard you talking to Buster."

"In your dreams, buddy." Steve snorted in response.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Ford and Nathan travelled back to Honolulu in relative silence, Ford's anger palpable. Nathan decided he best bide his time. He was well aware he was walking a dangerous tight rope, and the last thing he or his brother needed right now was for him to be pushed off, so he held his tongue.

Nathan drove down an alleyway along side a nightclub. It was early evening, and they were too exposed for his liking. Ford exited the car without a word and disappeared through a side entrance. He drummed his fingers anxiously on the steering wheel.

Nathan had always been there for Tommy - in the school playground protecting him from the bullies, offering brotherly advice about girls, and more recently shielding him from the low life scum they encountered on a daily basis. His heart sunk when he imagined his brother alone and unprotected. A light tap on the passenger window pulled him from his thoughts. He lowered the window with the press of a button, not giving the messenger much of a glance. Eye contact was best avoided in some situations. A heavy set guy dropped a cell and an envelope on the passenger seat.

"It's a burner. Ditch the car and lay low. You'll be contacted." Without waiting for a response, the guy headed to the door Ford had gone through not ten minutes earlier.

Nathan stuffed the cell in his pocket before opening the envelope. It contained a wad of twenty dollar bills. He flicked through them, estimating it contained about three hundred dollars. Tossing it back onto the passenger seat, he then slammed the gear shift in reverse, and made his way back out into the heavy Honolulu traffic.

A couple of hours later, Nathan found himself in a seedy motel, off the beaten track. He walked out of the bathroom drying his hair, another towel wrapped around his waist. He grabbed his half empty bottle of beer from the bedside table and took a swig. He flopped down onto the bed and switched on the television. Remote in hand, he proceeded to flick through the offerings, stopping at the news channel. He wasn't expecting their activities at the convalescent home to be uncovered, but if they were, it was sure to make the headlines.

A few hours later, the only light in the room came from the television set. A newscaster stood in front of a number of police vehicles.

"In a joint operation with HPD and SWAT, the Governor's elite task force, Five-0, raided several buildings this week. Including this property here on the North Shore. Initial reports state that all of Emanuel Ford's associates were killed at the scene. It is not yet known if the crime boss is among the dead."

Nathan lay outstretched on the bed, lightly snoring, completely oblivious to the news report.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Steve's coms link crackled back to life. "Hey Steve. You hear me?" Lou's deep voice was a welcome sound.

"Yeah Lou."

"How're you two holding up?"

"Danny's got a serious concussion and badly broken leg."

"What about you, McGarrett?"

"A couple of fractured ribs."

Lou cleared his throat. "I'm sure there's more, but I'll take that."

"How long?"

"About an hour."

"More like two." Danny huffed.

"Honestly Lou? One hour?"

Lou blew loudly down the com link. "Two hours tops. Sherlock work that out?"

"You're forgetting his old man was a fire fighter." Steve smiled fondly at his ailing partner.

"Oh and Steve, don't say anything, but that damn dog's gone missing." Lou spoke in a hushed voice.

"Don't worry. It's here with us."

"You gotta be kidding me." Lou chuckled.

Steve laughed, then regretted it when a pain shot through his chest.

"Don't forget the vet too babe, and his name is Buster." Danny said sleepily.

Steve rolled his eyes at him. "We need a vet, and the dog's name is Buster. Don't ask."

"We'll take care of it. I'll contact you again when we're ready to move in."

"Thanks, Lou."

Steve studied his friend's pale and sweaty face. He felt helpless, unable to do anything to ease what he saw there. Danny's eyes met his. The pain lines in his forehead deepened into furrows.

"Thanks for the concern, babe, but you don't look too hot yourself."

"At least I don't smell like vomit."

Danny crossed his arms over his stomach, trying to look offended. "That was low."

"Well if it keeps you awake." Steve smirked.

"Tell me about Lynn."

"How're Gracie and Charlie?" Steve countered.

The two friends exchanged bemused smiles.


	8. Chapter 8

Emanuel Ford's blank expression ramped the unease in the room up another couple of notches. He'd been sitting in a brown leather recliner for the past thirty minutes, strangling the neck of a bottle of scotch. The glass he'd been offered by one of the club owner's lackeys hadn't been so lucky. The flat screen television had narrowly escaped being smashed by the lead crystal tumbler.

"Sir, I can't stress enough how risky your decision is." Joe Ward spoke in an even tone. He was the same individual who had instructed Nathan Reed in the alleyway outside the club earlier.

He looked from the dangerously mute Ford to the club owner, Cru Tanner. Cru's employee had scurried off to retrieve a dust pan to clean up the glass. His establishment had always been a safe haven for Ford. Cru had always been well compensated, so he begrudgingly put up with the inconvenience.

"You have a better idea, Ward?" Ford stood up and set the bottle down hard on the desk, making Cru visibly jump.

Ward hoped the young lad from earlier didn't hurry back to clean up Ford's mess. If he had any sense he'd keep away.

"Yes, kill Reed and get off Oahu." Ward scrubbed at his face clearly exasperated by the ongoing turmoil.

Joe Ward was Ford's "fixer". Arranging everything for his boss, be it girls, transport, or guns. Over the past couple of years, Ward had made things happen regardless of his opinions. His boss had always had a mercurial personality, but over the past few months he had also become increasingly arrogant - a dangerous combination. Ward believed it was only a matter of time before Ford's smug attitude would see him arrested or killed.

"Five-0 has been on my tail for over two months. I have orders to fulfill, and I will not be run off this island. Strike why the irons hot; that's always been my philosophy." Ford's response firm.

He fetched himself another tumbler from an ornately decorated display cabinet and proceeded to pour himself a drink.

"I want McGarrett and his team brought to their knees. I want Five-0 wiped from existence. I don't care how you do it; just get it done." Ford was growing more agitated with every passing second.

"I have a few guys over on the North Shore. I can have them take care of Five-0, but let me deal with Reed personally. He's the only one who can bring evidence against you." Ward implored his boss to change his mind.

Ford slammed the glass down, sending the amber liquid all over the desk. Cru hurriedly scooped up his paperwork before it spoiled.

"Fine, but be discreet. I don't want any of this linked to me."

"I can arrange for them to meet with an unfortunate accident while they're heading along the coast road." Ward smiled when his boss nodded in agreement.

"Those highways can be quite treacherous at night." Ford refilled his glass before downing the single malt whiskey in one go.

Ward pulled out his cell and started making calls.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Danny's knuckles were white from where he held Steve's cell in an iron grip. Cocooned safely in the back of the brightly lit ambulance, he still struggled to tamp down his anxiety. Steve had used his "full immunity and means" speech to get an emergency evac chopper there, but another incident elsewhere had curtailed that plan. It had been the suggestion of the EMS to photograph Buster. The dog seemed to be one of the triggers for his panic attacks but strangely he was also Danny's anchor. Danny could have sworn Steve had a face - jealousy.

His eyes drilled into the dog's image looking back at him. It had taken three long, agonizing hours to extract him from his living hell. He felt beyond tired but found himself unable to sleep for fear of having another episode similar to those in the basement. After a quick shot of something strong, his pain had been dialed back to a manageable level. Now sporting an IV administering much needed fluids and a blood pressure cuff, he was as comfortable as he could be. Luckily, he'd been spared an oxygen mask for the ride to the hospital.

"Hey buddy, you sure this is what you want?" Steve stood at the rear of the vehicle concern written all over his face.

"Yes babe, I'm sure." Danny didn't have the energy to go another round.

Steve had planned on riding with Danny, but his partner had begged him to ride back with Lou and Buster in the SUV. He'd been patched up by a medic and going against advice - not for the first time that day - had refused a separate ambulance.

"Have it your way." Steve sighed deeply. "Chin and Kono will take your car once they have the crime scene locked down. See you at the hospital."

Steve stepped away, allowing the medic to shut the doors. Danny tried to relax as they headed towards the nearest hospital.

Lou drove behind the ambulance. He cast a concerned look at Steve a few times, then glanced at Buster in the rear view mirror.

"Never thought of you as a cat kinda guy. Big tough Navy SEAL and all." Lou tried to lighten the mood but Steve stared straight ahead, expression unreadable.

"Danny's really taken with the dog. How'd he come up with the name?" Still nothing. "Come on man throw me a bone, give me something."

"Seriously. You find this funny?" The calm tone of Steve's voice did not hide his anger.

"Sorry, bad choice of words. No I don't, but you need to ease up a little, McGarrett. Our boy's gonna be okay, and we'll catch up with Ford. Mark my words, he'll get what's coming to him."

"It's been a long night." Steve ran a hand through his hair. "S'all good Lou."

Before Lou could reply a large dark van shot out from a tertiary road, almost clipping the front of the SUV.

"What the fuck..." Lou yelled.

The van veered across the road, side-swiping the ambulance. Brake lights blazing, the emergency vehicle fishtailed wildly.

"Get us between them before he tries again." Steve pulled out his SIG and rolled down the side window.

The ambulance slowed, and in that same moment, someone from the passenger side of the van opened fire. In response, the medic driving increased speed, but was an easy catch for their pursuer. Pulling along side once again.

Lou aimed for the gap between the two vehicles. Steve sat on the door sill, long legs bent up on the passenger seat, the upper half of his body out of the car, gun aimed across the roof. Steve sucked in a deep breath, his taped up ribs protesting painfully at their ongoing abuse. It was no easy feat, but adrenaline took over, and he managed to get some well aimed shots off. The return fire caused Lou to snake dangerously, losing ground on the van. Steve grabbed for the seat belt to stop himself being thrown from the SUV. When he eventually managed to pull himself back inside, he held his arm across his chest and groaned. All the while Buster barked incessantly in the back.

"Lou, they're gonna take another run at it." Steve spoke through gritted teeth, his face etched with pain.

"I see that." Lou had his foot flat to the floor.

Wasting no time, the van slammed into the side of the ambulance causing it to swerve, then it skidded in a half circle, flipping onto its side. Metal scraped the black top creating a shower of sparks. With nothing to slow it's momentum, the emergency vehicle smashed through the guard rail and disappeared from sight.

"Holy Shit! Danny!" Steve yelled.

Lou's SUV slid to a halt leaving behind the smell of burnt rubber. The dark van wasted no time in putting the power down and shot off into the distance.

"Call it in." Steve was out of the vehicle before it had fully come to a stop. Buster not far behind him.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

A loud crunching of metal was accompanied by a violent jolt, causing Danny to drop Steve's cell. The medic stood to retrieve it only to be thrown backwards towards the rear doors. Danny struggled to release the straps securing him to the gurney, aware he couldn't walk but not wanting to be trapped.

"Hold on. I'll try to lose them." Their driver frantically cried.

That was the last time anyone of them spoke. Danny had just released the last buckle, when another impact caused the gurney he laid on to breakaway from its fixings, throwing it along with him across the interior. He couldn't help but scream as the IV was ripped from his arm and his legs were jammed into the rear doors. Holding on for dear life, he barely kept himself from rolling off into the churning sea of medical equipment and supplies. Everything was moving. Until it wasn't. Danny took the respite as a chance to catch his breath, not even close to being able to process what the hell was happening.

Gunfire erupted close by and bullets buried themselves in the outside of the ambulance. Again, the vehicle rocked violently. Plunged into a flickering darkness as the lights gave out, Danny struggled to hang on as he felt the vehicle tilt. His stomach had crawled into his throat and he feared he might puke up what ever was left down there. Suddenly, he was hurled across the cramped space, colliding with the medic. Any pained response now was drowned out by the cacophony of metal instruments and equipment flying around with them. To Danny it felt like a giant had picked up the ambulance and was shaking it like a toy.

At last Danny's world stilled. He tasted blood, and the strong odor of gas filled his nostrils from the ruptured fuel tank. The ambulance felt like it had buried its front end in the ground with its rear end pointing almost skywards. Danny found himself wedged in the small opening between the front and back of the ambulance. He adjusted his position so his weight wasn't on his broken leg. The limited light made it difficult to see. He squinted, trying hard to find the medic in amongst the trashed interior, but he was no where to be seen. He felt numb, his fragile hold on consciousness starting to loosen.

Realization suddenly punched Danny in the gut. He was drowning. The metallic taste in his mouth now replaced by salt water. The sound of waves crashing the side of the ambulance assaulted his ears, driving home the fact that he was in trouble. This was not how he was going to die. No. Cops died in gun fights. Not falling through ceilings or drowning in the back of ambulances. No. This was not going to be Danny Williams' obituary.

Adrenaline surged through him like a freight train with terror not far behind. Danny clawed at anything he could grip onto, frantically dragging himself towards the rear. The gap created by the buckled doors was his only escape. His torso was still partly wrapped in the emergency blanket, the water making it heavy. Fatigued, and in pain, the distance to safety now seemed insurmountable. Using every last ounce of his energy he hung on to the very last moment. He gulped one last lung full of air, calling out to Steve in his mind as the ocean enveloped him.


	9. Chapter 9

His eyes blinked open, and rippled images of the chaos of the wrecked ambulance came to him with the volume turned way down and muffled by cotton balls. He was dying in an aquarium, his mind flashed to a memory of Grace squealing in delight upon seeing the coral reef exhibit at the Waikiki Aquarium. Bubbles floated up and he wished he could swim with them to safety. Danny suddenly felt a sharp tug and he thought he was being eaten by sharks.

He squeezed his eyes shut as his heart seized with terror, and he waited for sharp teeth to tear at his flesh. Instead he felt his body move, the water falling away to expose his leaden body to the cool night air. Uncontrollable shivers ran through him as he tried to gulp in air to ease his burning lungs, but the taste of salt water invaded his throat, making him gag and retch. Totally drained of his last dregs of energy, he could barely muster the strength to open his eyes. They fluttered open for the briefest time, just enough for him to see the blurred outline of a lone figure kneeling in front of him, the answer to his silent prayers. Only then did he give into the darkness.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Chin passed Lou a white Styrofoam cup and sat in the chair opposite him in the small waiting room.

"Thanks, man." Lou took a sip of steaming hot coffee.

"Kono called. She found a local twenty-four hour veterinary clinic. She's dropping the dog there now."

"Buster." Lou laughed. "That dog saved Danny's life."

"I still can't believe no one was killed. The ambulance was a mess." Chin clutched his coffee with both hands. Hunched forward, his mind drifted back to the scene of the crash. Images of the vehicle flashed through his mind. The mangled wreck had come to rest partially on the rocks and the rest in the choppy water. It's side riddled with bullet holes.

"I'm not sure what was more surreal. Seeing the injured medics stagger towards me, or McGarrett helping a dog pull Danny to safety." Lou chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.

Chin looked across the room to the open door. He could see Steve pacing the corridor on his cell, deep in conversation. "Hopefully Duke's got some new leads on Ford or Reed's whereabouts."

"This whole sorry saga reads like a bad TV movie script." Lou pinched the bridge of his nose. "I need some air."

The big guy stood up to leave when Steve walked in with a doctor in tow.

"This is Dr Carmichael, Danny's doctor." Steve stepped aside so the man could introduce himself.

"Good morning gentleman. Please be seated." Lou sat back down next to Chin.

"If it's okay with you doc, I'd rather stand." Steve leaned against the wall. Arms crossed over his chest.

"The surgery on Danny's leg went well, and he is currently being transferred to the SICU. I will keep him there for the next few hours to carefully monitor his concussion. I'm not anticipating any complications, so he should be in a private room by tomorrow."

Chin spoke first. "That's good to hear."

"All things considered, he's very lucky. I read in his notes that he had a knee injury prior to this one?"

"Yes, that was a few years ago." Steve ran a hand through his hair unable to hide the grimace when the movement pulled on his sore ribs. "How bad are his legs? He was in a lot of pain."

"I'm not surprised. His knee's badly sprained. I estimate about four weeks until it's healed fully. His other leg is a whole different story. He sustained a comminuted fracture to the tibia. In layman's terms, he's shattered his shinbone into four pieces."

They all winced as the doctor delivered the news.

"How long will it take to heal?" Chin had a rough idea knowing what Kono went through when she blew out her knee surfing.

"He's young and fit, so I would hope to see him back to full fitness in four to six months."

"Jeez. Four to six _weeks_ is a long time in our business." Lou waved his hand at the three of them. "Four to six _months_ is a life time"

Dr Carmichael gave a sympathetic smile before continuing. "We had to insert a rod from the knee down into the marrow canal of the tibia. Across the fractures to keep them in position. It's been screwed to the bone at both ends. We'll start physical therapy straight away, however any movement will be limited by the knee injury. He'll be restricted to a wheelchair for the next three to four weeks."

"He's gonna love that. Can't wait to hear him rant." Chin reached out and shook the doctors hand. "We really appreciate everything you've done."

"Just doing my job. Unfortunately, I'm not quite finished. Along with the numerous abrasions covering his body, he has a few bad lacerations to the side of his head. Nothing to worry about. They required stitches, and we had to shave some of his hair off to do so."

"Man, now I really gotta get me some air." Lou walked to the door. Briefly stopping in front of Steve. "Thanks, doc. Now, sort this one out."

"Ignore him; I'm fine." Steve rolled his eyes as Lou left the room.

"I doubt that, Commander."

"He's a terrible liar." Chin grinned at Steve.

"So Danny keeps telling me." Steve sighed and looked up to the ceiling. Clearly exasperated by the unwelcome attention to his well-being.

"I can see without close examination that you are dehydrated, in pain and that arm needs sutures. Your colleague here can sit with Danny while you get patched up."

Before Steve could protest, Chin was on his feet and along with Dr Carmichael, they guided the stubborn SEAL towards an examination room.

"Don't worry Steve, I won't tell him about his hair. You can do the honors." Chin laughed at Steve's horrified look.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

It was early morning and Ward stood in the middle of a rundown motel room. He pushed his gun back under his waistband and hastily dialed the burner he had given Reed the day before. He never answered and Ward cursed under his breath.

"Where the hell did you slink off to, Reed?" Ward spoke to himself.

He shoved the cell into his pocket angrily and surveyed the area. The room smelt of beer and take out; empty bottles and cartons littered the floor. A folded newspaper lay on top of the crumpled bed covers, Ward picked it up, and opened it to read. The article on the front page had him bolting for the door, systematically pulling out his cell to call his boss.

Ford's cell went straight to voicemail, so Ward left a short message. "Reed's brother's dead, and I bet he's coming for you."

Ward discarded the paper in a dumpster, as he ran to his car. The headline practically jumped off the page. "6 Men Die in North Shore Raid."

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

The club was closed, and apart from Cru Tanner working down in the bar, the place was empty. Emanuel Ford had made himself comfortable on the long brown leather couch, when he heard a single gunshot. He immediately jumped up and hurriedly pulled open a desk draw to retrieve the firearm he knew Cru kept there.

But he was too late, a searing pain sliced through his upper arm. He clutched at it tightly, blood seeping from between his fingers. Looking up his eyes met those of Nathan Reed. Like a crazed animal on its prey, Reed flew at Ford, pushing him up against the wall, gun pointed at Ford's head.

"He was my little brother. I should have never listened to you." Reed spat the words directly into Ford's face. Only the gun separated them.

Sweat beaded on Ford's forehead as the metal barrel of the revolver dug painfully into it.

"You don't...have to...do this." Ford spoke between gasps.

"You're going to pay for what you've done." Reed seethed.

Ford tried to pull his head away. The pain in his forehead and Reed's beer-laden breath making him nauseous.

"I've got money...take whatever you want." Ford pleaded.

"I don't want your money. You don't get it, do you?" Reed fought back tears. His next words were punctuated by rage and grief. "He. Was. My. Brother."

He fired the gun. A single shot. His boss slid down the wall, leaving a trail of blood as he slumped to the floor. Reed stood, transfixed, watching the bastard take his last breath. He didn't bother with the tears, letting them flow freely down his face. Nothing would ever be the same without his little brother, but killing Emanuel Ford had already eased the pain.

A cell ringing nearby pulled him from his trance. The sound emanated from Ford's trouser pocket, and Reed reached in and pulled it out. He studied the screen, the name Ward emblazoned across it. He smirked, and then turned and walked towards the door. Stopping momentarily on the threshold, he dropped the cell in a trash can, and without a second look, exited the club.


	10. Chapter 10

Danny lay flat on his back with both his legs elevated across some pillows to reduce swelling. His broken leg had also required external fixation. It looked sore and swollen, purple blackish bruising marred the skin. The nurses were constantly in and out of his room, closely monitoring his concussion along with any signs of compartment syndrome. Danny had IV's administering antibiotics and pain relief, a catheter, and nasal cannula. He was thankful for the last one. His oxygen stats were deemed good enough to spare him the added stress of a mask.

Moved to a private room the previous evening, he now felt more awake and alert. Though his body ached all over, the only real pain lingered in his leg, knee, and side of his head. Steve had just started filling him in on the night of the raid after his fall through the ceiling and other snippets of information he thought his partner would want to know.

If the look on Steve's face was anything to go by, Danny was doing a terrible job at trying to look happy at the update Steve had just delivered concerning Buster.

"Gus. That's a good name." Danny feigned a smiled. "Being with his owner's family is fantastic."

"You sure you're okay, buddy? Is your leg giving you pain? Should I call the nurse?" Steve perched beside Danny's bed, trying to sit up straight, his ribs still sore.

"I'm fine, but you look like you could use some pain killers, babe." Danny pointed to Steve's chest.

"I'm good. Look Danno I'm sorry-"

"Hey, don't start with the guilt trip over what happened."

"I wasn't. If you had let me finish, I was going to say, I was sorry you couldn't keep the dog."

"Oh." Was all Danny could muster in response.

"I will not apologise for the op. I made the right call to move in when we did. We all knew the risks." Steve had to mentally kick himself in order not to stare at Danny's hair. There was a shaved patch on the right side of his head and the long cut looked bruised and sore.

"I don't totally agree, but you're right - we know the risks. They come with the territory."

"No rant. That's it?" Steve tried to hide his worried expression.

"Maybe later. I'm still tired and my head hurts." Danny lifted his hand up to touch his head, but dropped it back down. Too exhausted to make the effort. "I've lost track of time. What day is it, babe?"

"We got rescued in the early hours of Friday morning, now it's Saturday. Almost dinner time. You hungry?"

Danny shrugged his shoulders. "A bit. When can I get out of here?"

Steve sighed. "Doc said anywhere from a few days to a week."

Danny pushed the button on his pain pump and closed his eyes. Trying his best to relax and focus on something positive. He smiled momentarily as his thoughts drifted to Grace and Charlie.

Steve studied the metal work protruding from Danny lower leg. His friend was going to be in considerable discomfort for the foreseeable future. If initial healing went well the frame would be removed in two to three weeks. Danny would then have to use a removable fracture boot and undergo physical therapy throughout the coming months.

Steve ran through a list of things that could go wrong.

_ Compartment syndrome. _

_ Blood clot. _

_ Sepsis. _

_ Problems walking if bones didn't unite properly. _

It wasn't like him to be so negative. But he couldn't help it. This was Danny - his best friend. And staring down such a serious injury was difficult. Especially when it was someone who meant so much to him. Closing his eyes he chased those thoughts away with his next breath.

Steve glanced up to find Danny lightly dozing. He yawned and scrubbed his face several times. It had been a long time since he had a decent night's sleep. He looked at Danny's sprained knee, which had been iced several times. Steve had been happy to apply the cold packs every hour for ten minutes at a time. He needed the added distraction to help with his current predicament - his partner's hair or lack of. Steve had spent the past half hour struggling not to look at it. He was sure Danny must know; he should sense something was amiss. Steve didn't know how much longer he could keep the charade up. Not mentioning the third most important thing in his friend's life was killing him. Steve mentally counted off Grace, Charlie, hair. Then he couldn't help the wry smile when he thought of Buster and himself.

"You know, for a tough guy, you can be such a wuss at times." Steve was startled by Danny's statement.

"Wuss? Danno, you've lost me."

"I'm a grown man, Steven. The nurse already told me. What did you think, I might cry if you mentioned my hair?" Danny closed his eyes, his mini rant doing nothing to ease his head ache.

"No, I never expected that. I just didn't want to be on the receiving end of a full on bitch session." Steve was doing a good impression of Danny, waving his arms around. "I'm sorry for getting it wrong  _ again _ ."

"I'm just tired is all." Danny rubbed at his eyes. "And I do not bitch."

"What ever you say, buddy. Now get some sleep. I'll go check in with the team, and come back in a couple of hours." Steve stood up and put his hand over Danny's. Giving it a squeeze. "One last thing. You had anymore bad dreams?"

"No. Doc thinks it was my claustrophobia. Panic attacks."

"That's great Danno." Steve tried to look positive, but struggled to shake his own anxiety. "I don't like the idea of leaving you alone."

"Stop fussing. Go, I'll be fine and I have two of Honolulu's best officers at my door."

Steve gave Danny's hand one final squeeze before letting go. "I'll bring the rest of the gang back with me."

"Thanks, babe."

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Within seconds of Steve leaving the room, Danny's eyes brimmed with tears, he needed to let go of his pent up emotions. In truth he felt lousy, worried about his long road to recovery, more upset about his hair than he let on to Steve, and devastated over the dog. A lone tear escaped, and he brushed it away with the back of his hand.

This really wasn't how he expected his week to end. Everything was going to hell in a hand-basket.

_ Shit. Four months. _

Danny's mind was racing.

_ How am I going to manage my own personal care let alone look after two young children? _

Now the tears fell in earnest. Danny wiped at his face, berating himself for letting his emotions get the better of him. He needed to focus on the positives.

_ I'm alive. _

_ My hair will grow back. _

_ I have Steve, and the rest of my ohana to help. _

_ Maybe I'll see the dog again. _

Danny couldn't hold back the sob that came at the end of those last words.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Steve pushed through the double doors in to Five-0 headquarters. Chin, Kono, and Lou were gathered around the smart table deep in discussion.

Kono was the first to see their boss enter. "How's Danny?"

"Better than I expected. Already plotting to get out of there."

"How'd he take the news about Buster?" Lou guessed the dog meant a lot to Danny.

"He was happy to hear it was staying with the couple's family. And before you ask, he was fine about his hair." Steve looked down at the smart table to see what they had been talking about before he arrived. "Where are we with the case?"

Chin tapped a few keys and crime scene photos appeared before them. "We just got back from this club. Time and Envy." Chin pointed to the screens. "Meet owner Cru Tanner. Single GSW to the head, and you already know the other perp."

Steve studied the slumped body of Emanuel Ford. "Single GSW to the head?"

"Yes, he also had a GSW to the arm." Chin enlarged the image.

Steve contemplated the information. "This was personal. Point blank range."

"I'd say. It takes a lot of anger to do that to someone." Lou's comment made Steve blanch as memories of Danny holding a gun at Marco Reyes' head resurfaced.

"Nathan Reed." Kono stood hands on hips. "Revenge for his brother's death."

"Any leads in regards to his whereabouts?"

"No chief. He's in the wind." Lou crossed his arms across his chest. "If he knows what's good for him, he'll stay that way."

"Wrap this up, guys. I think we all deserve a few days off." Steve rubbed his sore arm.

A big smile spread across Kono's face. "First stop - the hospital."

Chin threw an arm over Kono's shoulder. "I told you they'd both be okay."

"I never doubted you for a minute, cuz." Kono looked fondly over at her boss. "Not once."

The gang stepped out into the warm evening sunshine. Reveling in the knowledge that Danny was making good progress, they talked and laughed as they headed for their cars. To passers-by they looked like a group of friends heading for a fun night out.

Steve stood between his Silverado and Danny's Camaro, looking lost. The rest of the team exchanged amused looks.

"He would want you to take his car. I know he's always giving you hell for driving, but I have a feeling he'd prefer you take it home than leave it here." Lou gestured to the rest of the near empty parking lot before climbing into his SUV.

"Throw me your keys. I'll get one of the guys at HPD to drive your truck to your place." Chin held out his hand.

"Come on, boss. Chin's right, take the Camaro." Kono smiled sympathetically.

Steve threw his keys to Chin. "Thanks, guys."

One by one they pulled out into the Honolulu traffic. Steve was the last to leave. The previous few days had taken their toll. Stifling a yawn he started the car, and the engine roared to life. He was about to pull out of the lot when a blue BMW passed by the front of the Camaro. Steve glimpsed the driver whose face was partially hidden by his baseball cap. He pulled out behind him, but it wasn't long before he lost sight of the guy in the busy traffic. Something seemed so familiar, but he chalked it up to heightened nerves from being keyed up and tired.

Making a last minute decision, Steve hit Chin's number on his cell and started for home. The other man answered on the first ring.

"Steve, what's up?" Chin's voice laced with concern.

"I need to stop off at my place for a while. I promised Danny I wouldn't be long...can you..."

"Hey, there's no need to explain. We get it and so will Danny. Take some time for yourself."

"Thanks again, Chin. I'll catch up with you all later at the hospital."

"No problem, brah. That's what ohana's for."

Steve ended the call.

He really needed a swim to clear his mind. Images of Danny injured in that basement came back to him. He'd never been one to second guess himself. His quick decision about the raid was the right one, but he wasn't so sure he'd make the same choice again. Danny had nearly died, and he was pretty sure that his life would be over if he lost his best friend. Especially if it was the direct result of an order he'd given. Steve was a hundred percent sure he would end it. That was one dark thought he would never admit to anyone.

Pulling into the driveway, he resolved to make good on the last few days. Ideas of converting the downstairs office into a bedroom with an on-suite bathroom were already running through his mind. This was Danny after all, and he would do anything for him. He smiled for what seemed the first time in ages.


	11. Epilogue

Danny pushed the door open to the lanai with one crutch. Beer bottle sticking out the top of his shorts pocket, he headed across the grass to one of the chairs which normally sat at the edge of the sandy beach. Steve, his overly concerned mother hen, had moved them closer to the house.

Steve followed his partner out, stopping on the lanai to watch him. "You shouldn't be drinking while on pain meds, Danno." Steve shouted.

"One won't kill me, mom."

Danny rocked unsteadily on one leg while he placed the bottle on the table between the chairs. He paused for a second, half expecting his over anxious friend to appear by his side, but thankfully Steve gave him his space. Breathing a sigh of relief, he propped his crutches against one of the chairs before slowly easing himself down into one of them, careful not to put any weight on his bad leg. He proceeded to twist the top of his Longboard.

Steve was half way over to Danny when he sensed his presence might not be appreciated. He knew his partner craved some independence after constantly being fussed over and man-handled.

"I won't be long buddy." Steve called out while heading back inside.

"Take your time, babe." Danny took a long swig of beer. He closed his eyes, and smiled contentedly.

Free from a wheelchair for the first time in three weeks, Danny savoured his new-found freedom. He'd spent six days in hospital following his surgery, before being discharged into the care of Super SEAL. His sprained knee had healed, and x-rays of his fractured leg showed it was on the mend, so much so that the external fixation frame had been swapped the previous week for a fracture boot. The stitches had been removed from the cut to his head, and his hair was growing back. Life was slowly getting back to normal.

He'd also come to terms with never seeing Buster again. Keeping his unhappiness about that particular situation from the rest of the team had been difficult. If they'd noticed they hadn't said anything, but his smart, young daughter hadn't missed a trick. Promising to keep her Danno's heartache between the two of them, she'd managed to find the dog's family on Facebook. Grace was now friends with their teenage son, much to Danny's annoyance, but it was the price he had to pay if he wanted to see his beloved Buster.

He had to admit everyone had been great, taking care of his every need, but there were some tasks he was happy he could now do alone. His ohana had rallied around him to help with all aspects of his life from doing his laundry to driving him to his hospital appointments. Steve had done the most, firstly converting the downstairs office into a bedroom with en-suite bathroom. Danny still couldn't fathom how he'd pulled it off in less than a week. He'd also gone above and beyond, assisting with some of his more personal needs. Danny knew he would have to do something special to thank his best friend. After all, he wasn't the easiest of patients.

Grace and Charlie had loved looking after their Danno. Their dad's wheelchair was a firm favorite with Charlie. He especially enjoyed riding on his dad's lap with Grace pushing them. This weekend was his first without his kids around, and Steve had gone out to get provisions for an impromptu barbecue with the rest of the team. No husbands, wives, or girlfriends. So, Danny sat back and relaxed, listening to the surf and feeling the warmth of the sun on his skin.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

"Danny's sitting out by the beach. Lou and I will go get Buster." Steve stood at the front of his house with the rest of the team.

"You sure he never heard us pull up?" Kono retrieved some grocery bags from the back of Chin's Mustang, passing one to her cousin.

"Nah. I doubt he'd hear anything other than his stomach grumbling. You two had better hurry, and sort the food out before he starves." Steve grinned before gesturing to Lou. "We won't be long."

"Don't worry we'll take care of it." Chin bumped shoulders with Kono.

"I thought the dog was called Gus?" Lou climbed in the passenger side of Steve's truck.

"Apparently it doesn't obey any commands when they call it Gus, so they've been calling it Buster. It's not very well house trained either." Steve pulled off the drive.

"And you're letting them both stay at your place?" Lou laughed.

Steve couldn't help but smile at the thought of his partner and the dog.

"If it makes Danny happy. He's done a terrible job at covering up his disappointment at not keeping Buster. I found out from the family that Grace and their son are Facebook friends. He's been posting pictures of the dog for Danny to see."

"He must have it bad if he's letting Grace make friends with someone of the opposite sex." Lou chuckled.

"Knowing Danny he had a mini heart attack."

"You're a good friend McGarrett."

"Yes I am." Steve smiled smugly.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

The door opened, Buster jumped from the seat down onto the hot ground. His wet nose tested the air, but the familiar scent from the seat he'd just laid on was now gone. He followed behind the tall man who held his lead. Stopping by a number of feet, he sat back on his hind legs and looked up at the group of humans talking loudly. Every so often someone would pat his head or stroke his back.

Then they were on the move again. He walked up some steps, across a wooden floor, the smell from earlier was back again. He tried to cross the room towards an open door, but he was stopped by a quick tug on his leash and a command to stop. His lead was removed, and after a warm hand gave his head a good scratching, he was encouraged to go outside. He sniffed, catching the familiar odor once again. Leaping onto the grass, he ran towards the sandy beach, growing more and more excited as he followed the trail. His ears pricked up at the noise of the waves breaking, but the loud noise didn't deter him. He stopped when he reached a pair of chairs and barked a few times. The man sitting there turned to look at him, a beaming smile appearing instantly. Buster bounded forward, tail wagging wildly, and licked the friendly face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for reading. Hope you enjoyed it.


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